Treatment chair



NOV. 9, 1937. F. KOENIGKRAMER ET AL 0 TREATMENT CHAIR Filed March 26, 1956 INVENTOR5 flan/f A can/19km men frcder/c/r floisn/lgmamer ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT CHAIR Application March 26, 1936, Serial No. 70,998

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in treatment chairs such as are used in the practice of optometry, chiropody and certain manipulatory arts for the correction and prevention of human ailments.

An object of the invention is to provide a treatment chair with an improved type of arm rest or side member embodying features of safety, ease and rapidity of disposition to operative and inoperative positions, and low cost of manufacture and maintenance.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arm rest so designed as to be movable to a displaced position whereby mounting and dismounting of a patient from the treatment chair is facilitated, and accomplished without danger of the patient grasping any loose or insecure parts and losing his balance, with possible resultant injury.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a treatment chair embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view showing the reverse side of the arm rest of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the treatment chair comprises generally a seat part having opposite sides, said seat part comprising a seat frame 4 and a cushion 5. The rear of the seat part may be provided with any suitable type of back rest 5, and preferably one which is adjustable. At the forward portion of the seat part depends a frame '5 which supports the usual foot rest 8. A pedestal 9 provides a base for the chair, and may comprise suitable means, not shown, for elevating, lowering and rotating the chair proper. At each side of the seat part, and preferably below the cushion 5, there is bolted, screwed or otherwise attached a bracket I9 which serves to mount an arm rest I2. As the arm rest structures are identical, the description will be limited to a disclosure and explanation of one only. The bracket has a foot I 3 adapted to extend inwardly of the side of the seat part, and includes also an upstanding portion I t which is made substantially arcuate so as to provide a peripheral curved track I5. Suitable apertures I 6 are provided for fastening of the bracket to the seat part.

The arm rest or side member !2 includes an extension I? having a pivoting end or head 58- which, by means of a bolt or screw I9, is mount.-

ed for rotation concentrically about the curved track I5 of the bracket. The bolt preferably threadedly engages the bracket as at 20 (Fig. 3) and is locked in adjusted position by means of a lock nut 2 I. To provide for a resilient or yielding connection between the parts I8 and I4, the head 22 of bolt I9 abuts a resilient washer or spring element 23. It will be understood from the foregoing that the arm rest I2 and its extension Il may be rotated about the pivot I9, to elevated and lowered positions through an are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the seat part. In other words, the arm rest may be rotated about the pivot IS, in a plane parallel to the side piece 4, from the operative or elevated position of Fig. l, to a lowered or inoperative position at which the member I2 assumes a position below the pivot I9. By disposing the arm rest to the inoperative position aforesaid,,the mounting or dismounting of a patient from the treatment chair, is accomplished with ease, and without danger of the patient grasping any loose or insecure parts and losing his balance.

Before the arm rest or side member can be rotated to the lowered or inoperative position above-mentioned, it is necessary to de-clutch or unlatch it. This may easily be accomplished by manipulating a latch bolt or plunger 24 by means of the finger piece or head 25 which extends to a convenient location intermediate the extension arms 26. In the particular form illustrated, the latching means comprise a keeper notch or depression 2?, providing suitable abutments, formed in the face of the curved track I5, preferably at a location directly above the pivot I9. The engaging end 28 of the latch bolt or plunger 24 is adapted to be urged at all times toward the track l5, by any suitable yielding means such as the coiled spring 29. As will be understood, the latch bolt is reciprocable in the guide 30 of the arm rest extension, as indicated in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be evident that the arm rest or side member may be rotated about its pivot IE3, only after lifting the latch bolt or plunger from the depression or keeper notch 21, and that upon initiating the rotational movement, the engaging end of the plunger will ride upon the smooth surface of the curved track I 5. Evident also is the fact that by returning the arm rest to the elevated or operative position of Fig. 1, the engaging end of the latch bolt or plunger will automatically drop into the depression or keeper notch 21, as the structure is self-latching.

Attention is now directed to the provision of a friction means opposing rotation of the arm rest, so that it may not accidentally swing to and fro, or become noisy by reason of looseness of parts. The friction means comprises a smooth annular face 3! on the bracket, adapted to cooperate with a complementary smooth annular face 32 on the interior of the pivoting end I8 of the arm rest extension. These complementary friction faces are maintained resiliently in abutment upon one another, by the use of any suitable yielding means, such as the bent or convex spring metal Washer 23. The friction force may be adjusted by loosening the lock nut 2i and adjusting the screw it inwardly or outwardly of its screw threaded connection 26 with the bracket iii. The annular faces 3i and 32 not only provide the necessary resistance to rotation of the arm rest, but they also assure an extensive bearing which precludes looseness or wobbling of the arm rest, thereby obviating the impression of insecurity or weakness which oftentimes is responsible for a patient losing his or her balance While mountingor dismounting from the chair.

At the upper ends of the arms 26 are formed suitable perforated ears or extensions, upon which the member E2 of Fig. 1 may be secured. Screws, bolts or other suitable fastening means may be provided for the purpose.

While a preferred form of arm rest and its associated latching and pivoting means has been illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the structure herein disclosed readily suggests other types of latchbolts 0r self-locking means operative to preclude rotation of the arm rest from the normal or elevated position. Likewise the particular form of friction means between the bracket and the arm rest extension may be altered Without departing from the general combination which constitutes the invention. Minor changes of form and dimensions of the various parts are intended also to be included Within the terms of the claims appended hereto.

In addition to the advantages herein mentioned, it may be noted that the displaceable arm rests or side members find ready application to treatment chairs that are convertible to table formation, and in such chairs, the rests or side members are quickly and easily disposed to an inoperative position at which they are entirely out of the way, so as not to interfere with the practitioners movements about the table.

Furthermore, when a oorpuient patient mounts a treatment chair equipped with the invention, one of the arm rests may be left in the lowered or inoperative position, for the comfort of the patient. In the event that the chair illustrated herein is used for the practice of chiropody, for example, one arm rest may be lowered so that the patient may turn himself ninety degrees in the chair, using the other arm rest as a back support, thereby to present his foot or limb to treatment without interference by the foot rest 8,

Other advantages of the invention will become manifest in the use of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an arm-rest for a chair of the class described, the combination of a bracket for attachment to the chair, said bracket including an upstanding portion shaped to provide a peripheral curved track of full circle extent, and a friction track adjacent and substantially at right angles to the peripheral curved track, the latter having a vertical notch formed therein, an armrest including an enlarged end with a friction track complementary to the first-mentioned friction track, said end being cupped to receive the peripheral curved track of the bracket, and pivoted upon the bracket with the cupped portion thereof concentric to the peripheral curved track of the bracket, and a retractable latch bolt reciprocably mounted upon the arm-rest and having a free end, a spring engaging the bolt to urge said free end constantly against the peripheral curved track of the bracket in all positions of pivotal movement of the arm-rest, said free end being proportioned to enter the notch of the peripheral curved track in one position of the arm-rest.

2. In an arm-rest for a chair of the class described, the combination of a bracket for attachment to the chair, said bracket including an upstanding portion shaped to provide a peripheral curved track of fullcircle extent, and having formed therein a vertical notch breaking the continuity of 'the peripheral track at but one location, an arm-rest including an enlarged end cupped to receive the peripheral curved track of the bracket, means pivoting the arm-rest upon the bracket with the cupped portion substantially encircling the peripheral track, and a retractable latch bolt reciprocably mounted upon the arm-rest and having a free end, a spring engaging the bolt to urge said free end constantly against the peripheral curved track of the bracket in all positions of pivotal movement of the arm-rest, said free end being proportioned to enter the notch of the peripheral curved track in one position of the arm-rest;

3. As a new article of manufacture, an armrest for a chair of the class described comprising a pair of upwardly extending arms, an enlarged circular head therebelow, and an intermediate connecting portion connecting the arms to the head, the head being cupped to provide an annular planar friction face and an encircling continuous wall, said wall having a bore extending therethrough and through the intermediate connecting portion, means concentric to the encircling wall for rotatably mounting the arm-rest at the enlarged headed portion thereof, a latch bolt having a headed end located between the arms, and a plain end extending through the bore of the encircling Wall, and a spring engaging the bolt to urge the plain end of the bolt toward the concentric mounting means of the cupped portion of the arm-rest and engaging a keeper notch in the mounting means.

FRANK KOENIGKRAMER. FREDERICK KOENIGKRAMER. 

